How long can you leave a puppy in a crate and should you put food and water in the crate?

I have a 10 week old puppy (lab) that makes it for 8 hours at night in the crate with no accidents. He has been wonderful to train and i am leaving for work today 8 hours shift. This will be the first day where my husband and I will not be able to take him out mid-day. I am wanting to know if i should put food and water in the crate for him? Also i was thinking because we have a screened in porch that something outside for the day time would be better. We were thinking a large cage for outside with a fan on him all day and lots of water. We live in FL and I am nervous he will be to hot. Really need some guidance on what would be best for a little guy when we are at work. He came from a farm and WAS use to being outside but now he is use to the AC so I am torn on what would be best for him until he is fully trainined. PLEASE HELP my new baby be he happiest while we are working.

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Leaving Labs as young as 7 weeks old for 4-5 hours has always worked well for us. We never left food and water in the crate. I would try to find a neighbor or professional dog walker to give him a mid day break.

Leaving him in a large cage for 8 hours in the day time could lead him fouling it.

Is there any way that you could have someone, neighbor, dog walker or friend go over to your house to let the little guy out in the middle of the day?
I think having him in the cage for 8 hours is way too long. Then he has to be in there for another 8 at night. That's 3/4 of the day spend locked up.
Try and find someone who can put a leash on him and walk him around your backyard for 15 minutes or so and that way he can stretch his legs and relieve himself.

Member 768404
answered on 7/7/09.
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I am sure this is not easy for you. I would also suggest that if you really can't find anyone, then you should put him in a safe space - like an airconditioned bathroom - with newspapers to use for pee and poop during the day, until he can hold it for 8 hours. That will probably be several months, since the general rule is that dogs can hold it for one hour for each month of age (so 8 mo old to hold it for 8 hours). I know this makes the whole crate training and outdoors bathroom more confusing, but I think leaving him in the crate with almost certain pee and poop in there would be pretty uncomfortable for him. At least in a small room he can sleep in a clean area and pee in another. I have a 4 mo old dog and he has always slept at least 6 hours and now can go 8 hours at night, but during the day it's a different story. So I hope you can do that. I would be nervous about a fan on all day without you there - he could knock it over, chew the cord, etc., etc.

If your pup can go 8 hours at night then going to work is now trouble. If use to being inside I think you can continue while at work. You never know what the weather might do, and he could bark all day outside. Unless the crate is very, very large where he can 'go' at one end and not have to lay in it. I would not put food & water in the crate. It will reverse the training. It will only make him need to go more. Make sure he is watered, feed and taken out before you leave. Sometime you may want to leave him on the porch. Put down pee pads and leave water. He does not need the food until you return. Make sure he has plenty of safe chew toys to play with. Good luck with your new baby.